Every animal is a gift and filled with information. All you need to do is look.
Case Spotlight:
OARRA-23-116-Ma, a sub-adult male Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris) stranded deceased on Torrance County Beach. OARRA examined and necropsied this unusual animal on October 22, 2023.
OARRA-23-116-Ma, a sub-adult male measuring 12 feet long (338 cm) and weighing an estimated 2000 lbs (1000 kg). This species is normally found far out to sea over deep waters and are rarely seen deceased on our beaches.
A sub adult male Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), dorsal view. External exam showed unusual healed scars of unknown origin.
OARRA-23-116-Ma. One of the unusual scars documented by OARRA researchers during the external exam.
OARRA-23-116-Ma was found to have broken and fractured bones in his head and neck region. These injuries may are suspected to have been caused by a collision with a ship and contributed to this animal's death.
A view of the nose and mouth of this magnificent animal. The lack of his proboscus helps age him as a young sub-adult.
Another view of OARRA-23-116-Ma, head and neck. Note scars, and the beginning of the elongation of his nose, or proboscis.
OARRA-23-116-Ma
His Story:
Case #116 of 2023 was a rarity for OARRA’s Los Angeles County jurisdiction – a twelve-foot sub-adult male Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), which stranded dead in the Torrance, CA surf on October 22, 2023. Despite his incredible size at an estimated 2,000 lbs, this male was still growing when he died; he was only beginning to develop the signature proboscis that earns elephant seals their pachydermic name. OARRA's Mortality Response Team was determined to discover how his life had been cut short.
While this very recent case remains under analysis, a series of initial necropsy findings begin to paint a picture: severe fractures of one side of his skull and vertebrae, organ lacerations resulting in massive internal bleeding, consistent with the blunt trauma damage often caused by a vessel strike. Such an event may have been the primary contributor to his death. The extent of this damage was not visible on initial external examination, and took a complete internal necropsy on the beach to discover.
Vessel strike injuries and deaths are of particular interest in matters of ocean animal health and safety in Los Angeles County waters, as marine animals here must regularly navigate the significant hazards of international maritime traffic associated with the busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere: the Port of Los Angeles.
This dearly departed elephant seal #116 isn’t just a number. He was an individual with a life story – and its tragic ending – that OARRA is committed to give voice to in matters of analysis, awareness, and actionable change.
Stay tuned on our social media and sign up for our newsletter for unfolding updates to cases like these as we analyze Mortality Response Program findings – and consider donating to support our work in honoring and investigating dead strandings.
Recent Cases:
August 20, 2020, the first dead animal response for OARRA was an adult, endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). OARRA-20-8-20-001 Cm at Seal Beach, CA.
August 20, 2020, OARRA-20-8-20-001 Cm at Seal Beach, CA. A Code 4 (advanced decomposition) carcass.
OARRA-20-8-20-001 Cm at Seal Beach, CA. this turtle still gave us valuable scientific information, though it was in the stage of advanced decomposition. Every deceased marine animal is valuable.
September 19, 2020, OARRA-20-09-19-002 Dd (Delphinus delphis). This common dolphin, washed up in Palso Verde, was a Code 4 (advanced decomposition) carcass.
OARRA Veterinarian Dr. K. Sakamaki is examining OARRA-20-10-08-003 Pv. This Code 5 adult harbor seal was stranded in San Pedro, CA.
October 12, 2020, Seal Beach, CA, an adult green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) wedged in jetty rocks. Its cracked shell is due to banging against the rocks during the high tide and surf, not human interaction.
A Code 3 (early decomposition) adult male common dolphin, OARRA-20-12-28-006 Dd.
A late Code 4 (advanced decomposition) common dolphin, the last animal responded to in 2020.
OARRA-21-01-12-001-Zc was observed, photographed, and reported to OARRA by a recreational boater. Reporting floating deceased animals like 001-Zc is vital and provides essential information about the marine mammal.
W2115 was found deceased on a beach in Long Beach on March 8th, 2021. OARRA documented this animal alive on Buoy #1- Seal Beach, on November 11th, 2020.
On March 14, 2021, a gray whale (OARRA-21-03-15-003-Em) was stranded alive on Dockweiller Beach in Playa del Rey. Unfortunately, the whale expired soon after coming ashore due to extreme malnutrition.
The neck and scapula (shoulder blade) clearly visible on the gray whale, OARRA-21-03-15-003-Er. Being able to see this detailed anatomy clearly indicates the severity of the whale's malnutrition and starvation.
On May 26, 2021, a male northern elephant pup was found floating in a Long Beach, CA marina. He was transported to a local beach, where the pup was examined by OARRA staff.
OARRA staff and volunteers, examining and recording important data on OARRA-21-05-26-004-Ma, a male northern elephant seal pup.
OARRA-21-06-05-006-Zc, A juvenile male California sea lion stranded just north of the Belmont Pier, Long Beach, CA, on June 5, 2021. No signs of any apparent injury to him were found during his examination by OARRA staff and volunteers.
July 1, 2021, the second deceased sea lion was reported just north of the Belmont Pier. The male sea lion, OARRA-21-07-01-007-Zc, appeared to be in good body condition. Based on his length of 161 cm, he was estimated to be a 4-5 yr old sub-adult.
OARRA-21-017-Zc, an adult female CA Sea lion (Zalophus californianus), is one of the numerous animals OARRA responded to and examined during and after the October 2021 Huntington Beach oil spill.
OARRA-22-003-Zc, a sub-adult sea lion (Zalophus californianus) stranded deceased on March 12, 2022, in Long Beach, CA.
OARRA-22-009-Dd, a neonatal common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) that stranded deceased on the south side of Balona Creek, Playa del Rey, CA. The animal was moderately decomposed, limiting OAARA's ability to sample and examine it. There were no visible signs of human interaction.
OARRA-22-011-Ma, an northern elephant seal pup (Mirounga angustirostris), was stranded and deceased by Dog Beach, Long Beach, CA, on May 1st, 2022.
OARRA-22-012-Dd, a late Code 4 adult common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) stranded deceased on Manhattan Beach, CA, on May 2nd, 2022. the advanced state of decomposition inhibited sampling, but OARRA obtained essential life-history samples, and information was obtained. Photo credit MAR.
A male juvenile Rizzo's Dolphin (Grampus griseus), OARRA-23-010-Gg, was stranded on the beaches of Docwieler State Park in El Segundo on April 20, 2023. The necropsy by OARRA Staff revealed that he was suffering from a genetic muscle degenerative disease that contributed to his death.
These three Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) were responded to and examined by OARRA on June 16th, 2023. This stranding event signaled the beginning of the Domoic Acid Event on Southern California Beaches.
OARRA-23-037-Zc, one of the 65 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) responded to during the 2023 DA event. In 40 days, OARRA responded to and examined 79 marine mammal mortalities.
OARRA-23-056-Dd a neonatal common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) that was stranded on Long Beach on June 30, 2023. Further testing may confirm Domoic Acid Toxicity as the cause of death.
A Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) was stranded in Long Beach, CA on September 6th, 2023. Subsequent necropsy and examination of OARRA-23-108-Cm, found the suspected cause of death to be a highly probable boat strike.
An adult male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) was stranded in Venice Beach, CA, on September 28, 2023. OARRA-23-114-Zc was examined by OARRA Staff and volunteers, but the cause of death is pending further analysis.
By responding to and examining deceased stranded marine mammals and sea turtles, OARRA scientists can identify and better understand causes of mortality and other factors that affect marine animal health and communicate these findings to invoke change for the health of the marine animals and marine environment.